


Pine for the Sunshine

by SharkGirl



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (but where? you can use your imagination on that one), Acceptance, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Christmas fic, Confessions, Consensual, Cuban Lance (Voltron), First Time, Friends to Lovers, Hand Jobs, Happy Ending, Hunk is a nickname, Hunk is originally from Hawai'i, Kissing, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Piercings, Pining, Requited Unrequited Love, Samoan Hunk (Voltron), Size Difference, holiday fic, home for the holidays, mentions of polyamorous relationship, they were roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:41:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21909133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkGirl/pseuds/SharkGirl
Summary: When Lance's parents win the lottery and decide to go on a holiday trip without the rest of the family, he's left with nowhere to go for Christmas. Thankfully, Hunk has the perfect solution.He just has to keep his massive, going on four years in length crush a secret from his best friend and roommate until winter break is over.But with Hunk's loving (but teasing) family, that's easier said than done.
Relationships: Hunk/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 119





	Pine for the Sunshine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Glimmerystarlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glimmerystarlight/gifts).



> Wowee wow, I haven't posted anything in ages! But I promised myself I wouldn't write anything else until my Secret Paladin gift was completed and...here it is!! Also, fun fact, this is my 100th Voltron fic on AO3!
> 
> This gift is for my very good friend, Jazzy. She loves Hance (and so do I) so I really hope that she enjoys this fic~  
> The title is taken from the song Home for the Holidays which goes "When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly face." Which is how Lance must have felt, but we'll get to that! 
> 
> Beta'd by the always wonderful, Jes~  
> Please enjoy!!

Hunk hummed happily to himself as he shifted his bags of groceries to one arm so he could fish his keys out of his pocket. Today he’d scored some awesome ingredients, as well as cool recipes, from the indoor farmer’s market and he couldn’t wait to try them out on Lance.

Lance, his roommate of four years and his best friend. Lance, who Hunk may or may not have been harboring feelings for since they first met in the dorms freshman year. And Lance, Hunk noticed as he walked into their apartment and set his findings on the counter, who was sitting on the couch, hunched over his laptop and staring at the screen.

Hunk opened his mouth to call out to him, but sealed his lips when a familiar voice came from the speakers. _‘Monkey, it’ll be fine.’_ It was Lance’s mother. He would often video chat his family, his siblings in Miami and his parents back home in Cuba. _‘It’s just one Christmas and we’ll see you all at Easter.’_

Lance took a deep, almost shaky breath – no one would have noticed that little quiver as he did, save for Hunk, who knew Lance better than he knew himself – and then forced a smile. “Okay, Mama,” he said. “I’ll make sure to mail your gifts before then.”

_‘Oh, there’s no need for that, Monkey,’_ his mother said with a laugh. _‘Now, have a great winter break and we’ll see you soon! Adios, baby.’_

The screen went dark and a few long seconds passed before Lance shut his laptop and tossed it toward the far cushion. He sighed and let his head fall against the back of the couch, his tan, slender neck on full display.

Hunk swallowed and then remembered himself. He cleared his throat to get his roommate’s attention. “I’m home,” he said, trying to make it seem like he’d only just walked in.

Lance sat up quickly, whipping his head toward the kitchen and plastering on a somewhat-less-fake-looking smile. “Oh, hey, buddy,” he greeted with a little wave. “You’re home kinda late, huh?”

“Well, I swung by the farmer’s market after club and there was a special on these gigantic cabbages,” he explained as he pulled out two of the vegetables in question, which were easily the size of his head. “I’m making cabbage rolls tonight,” he added with a grin, delighted in the way that Lance’s expression mirrored his, finally looking more like his usual self.

“Great! I’m starving!” Lance cheered. “Though, as hungry as I am, I think you probably bought a bit too much.”

Hunk glanced down at the massive cabbages. “You might be right,” he chuckled. “But I figure I can use what’s left over to make fried cabbage and, ooh, maybe steamed cabbage dumplings. And I could pickle the rest or try my hand at sauerkraut or kimchi-”

“You could barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it,” Lance continued for him in a horrible attempt at a southern accent. “Cabbage-kabobs, cabbage gumbo, pineapple cabbage, cabbage soup-”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Hunk laughed it off. “So, I may have gotten a little overzealous with my cabbage purchasing today.” He shook his head. “But it was a good deal.”

“Then that’s all that matters,” Lance replied, turning so his elbows were resting atop the back of the couch, his chin pillowed on his interlaced fingers. “So, looks like we’ll be having cabbage for a while,” he noted. “I’ll make sure to pick up extra anti-gas medicine next time I swing by the store.”

Hunk pulled a face and Lance laughed, easily dodging the empty reusable grocery bag thrown his way. “Anyway,” Hunk changed the subject as he began to put the groceries in their proper places. “Everything all right with you?”

Loath as Hunk was to bring something up that obviously caused Lance distress, he knew from experience that it was better to talk about problems sooner rather than later. Lance tended to talk himself into a lot of…not so great things when he was left to stew.

“Uh, yeah,” Lance answered, turning back around to face the right way on the couch. Away from Hunk. “Why do you ask?”

Okay, Lance was giving Hunk an out. It would be easy to just ignore whatever was going on and skip straight to working on those cabbage rolls. But Hunk knew better. And, more than that, Hunk cared about Lance. He hated to see his best friend hurting. Which was why he was always there with a freshly baked treat any time Lance came home from an unsuccessful dating attempt. Or when he was turned down. Or that time he’d had his heart broken on the monorail at Disney World.

“C’mon,” Hunk urged. “I heard your mom when I walked in.”

Hunk watched as Lance’s shoulders dropped. “Oh.”

“Do you not wanna talk about it?” Hunk tested, afraid he’d pushed too far. However, when Lance took a deep breath and faced him once more, Hunk knew he’d pushed just far enough.

“My parents won the lottery.”

Hunk blinked, dropping the carrot he’d just begun washing back into the sink. He had to be careful now, so he turned off the tap and sucked on his lower lip before posing his next question. “And that’s…bad?”

“It’s awful!” Lance said, throwing his arms in the air. He lowered them right after, looking rather sheepish. “I mean, it’s great. I’m really happy for them and all, but…” He sighed again. “They’ve been empty-nesters for a while, right?”

Hunk nodded. He knew very well that, just like him, Lance was the baby of the family.

“And Luis and the kids are going to Lisa’s family’s place up in Ohio. Marco is really busy with a job in New York. Veronica is supposedly working over break, too, but I’m pretty sure she’s spending Christmas with that girlfriend she keeps talking about, but won’t admit she’s officially dating just yet,” he paused. “It’s too new and you remember her last relationship, right?”

Again, Hunk nodded. There wasn’t much he _didn’t_ know about Lance. Or his family.

Lance liked to talk. And Hunk loved to listen.

“Rachel is going to Paris with her sorority sisters. And my grandparents don’t want to make the flight from Miami. So, that just leaves…me.” he sighed once again before slumping pathetically over the back of the couch.

Hunk had sort of put everything together. Based on what he’d overheard and all the new information Lance had given him, his family would not be getting together for Christmas this year. Which meant…

“I’m going to be all by myself during winter break…” Lance moaned, blinking watery eyes up at Hunk from his dramatic, halfway upside down pose.

Hunk mentioned that he hated seeing Lance upset, right? That was established earlier, correct? Okay, good. Because he wasn’t about to let his roommate, best friend, and secret crush be alone for Christmas. And so, without a second thought, the words came flying out of Hunk’s mouth. There was no stopping them, after all.

“Do you want to spend Christmas with me?”

Lance looked up at him, a confused expression on his handsome face. “With you?”

Oh God. Was that the worst thing to offer? Would Lance even want to spend more time with him? They lived together, for crying out loud. He was probably sick of Hunk by now and—

“But don’t you usually go back home to Hawai’i?” Lance’s voice interrupted Hunk’s self-deprecating thought spiral. He was sitting up taller now, looking hopeful. “Would you really want me to go?” he asked and then added. “I mean, would your family be okay with me-”

“My family will love you!” Hunk nearly shouted. Ah, diarrhea of the mouth. He should probably get that looked at. “I mean, you’re my roommate and my best friend and they love having guests, so…” He busied himself by starting to peel the carrot he’d washed. “I’d love it if you’d spend Christmas with us.”

He said ‘We,’ right? Nope. Oh, well, maybe Lance hadn’t noticed.

Well, if Lance had, he didn’t say anything about it. Instead, he jumped up, practically leaping over the couch, and made his way into the kitchen to wrap Hunk in a bone-crushing hug. Well, it would have been bone-crushing if Lance’s long arms were a just a bit longer and if Hunk wasn’t quite so wide around the middle. But it was nice all the same.

“Thank you, man!” Lance mumbled into Hunk’s shirt, his breath warming the skin just beneath it and making Hunk’s heart do little flipflops inside his chest. “Wow, Christmas in Hawai’i,” Lance said as he pulled back, his signature 100-watt smile illuminating his face. Then he paused, his eyes going wide. “I’d better start packing!” And then he was gone.

Hunk would have stopped him, reminded him that they still had a few days before Hunk was scheduled to leave. Never mind the fact that they still needed to get Lance a ticket. But he dared not spoil the moment.

“Okay.” Lance reappeared in the kitchen a few minutes later, obviously not yet done packing, but with a determined look on his face. “So, it’s not too late to change my flight,” he announced. “And my parents are totally fine with covering the difference in ticket price, now that they’re loaded and all,” Lance added with a chuckle. “So, I uh…” He ducked his head, his cheeks tinting pink, “I just need to know when we’re going and what airport.”

Lance looked so cute when he was embarrassed. And even cuter when he’d gotten ahead of himself. And he was at his ultimate cutest when he was passionate about something.

In fact, he looked pretty cute right now, looking up at Hunk like he was waiting for him to tell him something.

Wait. Was Hunk supposed to answer him? What had he asked? Oh, man, why had Hunk let himself get distracted by Lance’s pink cheeks? The color which, by the way, made Lance’s dark blue eyes really pop.

“Maybe you could just forward me your itinerary?” Lance suggested and, finally, Hunk snapped out of it.

“Right,” he said. “Yeah, I’ll, uh…” He wiped his hands on the dishcloth and reached for his phone. “I’ll do that now.”

“Okay,” Lance said for about the fifteenth time since he’d started pre-packing.

Pre-packing, which was the act of taking out everything Lance thought he might need for a trip and then actively organizing and whittling it down until he could fit it all in his suitcase. Hunk had seen him do it a dozen times before. Of course, it could have been Hunk’s imagination, but Lance seemed to be more careful this time around, comparing shirts side by side for minutes upon minutes before finally deciding on one or the other.

“Okay,” Lance said again. “So, we’re going to Uber over to Fort Lauderdale. We should plan to arrive four hours before our flight.” He stared at two more shirts before choosing one and tossing the other onto the pile on his bed. “I can’t believe it’s direct, by the way. I totally thought we’d have a layover.” He lifted two other articles of clothing, trousers this time. And after studying them, decided to take both. Plus the three pairs of shorts beneath them.

“We’re only going for a little over a week, you know,” Hunk pointed out as he eyed the rapidly growing pile of clothes that now consisted of no less than ten shirts and eight different types of pants.

“I knoooooow,” Lance whined. “But I wanna, like, make a really good impression.” He threw another dress shirt onto the pile and Hunk wanted to remind him that Oahu was even warmer on Christmas Day than Cuba. But if Lance wanted to wear a long-sleeved, button-down in 80-degree weather, that was totally his call. “Now, where was I?” Lance asked.

“Nonstop flight to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport,” Hunk replied, taking a seat on his own bed – which only had a few articles of Lance’s clothing on it.

“Right.” Lance nodded. “So, we land in Honolulu and then your…Uncle?” he questioned and Hunk nodded. “Your Uncle will pick us up and drive us to Ka…Kawa…Kawaha…” Lance turned toward Hunk with a pained expression on his face. “Hunk, _help me_.”

“Ka’a’awa,” he said. “But it’s pretty hard to pronounce, so-”

“I just want to-”

“Make a good impression. I know.” Hunk smiled, warmth filling his belly at the idea of Lance getting stressed out over meeting _his_ family. It wasn’t that Hunk liked when Lance was stressed. It was just that he’d seen this side of his best friend so many times over the past four years. Getting ready for dates, interviews, more dates, asking that one girl out from the aeronautics club, the speech he had to give for his final two years earlier.

It was just nice to watch Lance fussing over things with Hunk in mind. That was all.

“Okay, I think it’s time for a break,” Lance said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Think the cabbage rolls are done?”

Time passed quickly after that. Most of their finals were due ahead of time and turned in online, so there wasn’t much to occupy their time save for Hunk telling Lance a bit about his family and what to expect when they arrived. Still, the day of their departure was upon them before Hunk realized.

“Thank you,” Lance said to their Uber driver as he hauled his oversized suitcase out of the trunk and set it on its wheels. “Have a Happy Holiday!”

Hunk smiled. Lance was so nice to everyone, easily holding conversations with strangers until they became friends. It was just so… Lance.

“You, too,” the driver returned with a wave. “You’re lucky. I can’t believe it’s dipped into the fifties down here.” He shook his head.

Lance laughed, his breath fogging in the crisp, early morning air. “You want to come with us?” he joked.

“I’d love to,” he replied. “But I wouldn’t want to interrupt your trip.” He winked at Hunk after saying that and Hunk had only just begun to wonder what that could possibly have meant when Lance gasped, his eyes widening as he checked his watch.

“Our flight leaves in three hours and fifty-eight minutes!” he exclaimed. “Sorry,” he apologized to the driver. “But we’ve got to go. Security and all.”

The man chuckled and started to drive off. “Have a good trip, Lance.”

“You, too, Tavo!” Lance cupped a hand to his mouth, waving big as he called out to the other man. And Hunk would have been jealous if Lance hadn’t looked so cute doing it. That and, ya know, there was nothing to be jealous over. Lance was a friendly guy and even if he and Hunk _had been_ dating – like Hunk had just put together Tavo may have thought – Lance was also the most loyal person he knew. “Okay,” Lance interrupted his thoughts, “let’s go check our bags.”

“Overweight?” Lance whined at the person behind the counter. “There must be some mistake,” he went on. “I weighed my bag and myself before we left and it was definitely under fifty pounds.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” the woman apologized. “But your scale at home might not be accurate and our policy states that…”

Hunk stopped listening and turned toward Lance, who was looking at his gigantic bag with a pained expression his face.

“I guess I could take some stuff out…” Lance said, resigned.

Hunk faced the lady behind the counter. “How much is it to check an oversized bag?” he asked.

“It’ll be an additional fifty dollars, sir,” she answered, her gaze flicking to Lance and then back.

“That’s not so bad,” Hunk said before reaching out to rub soothing circles into Lance’s tense back. The muscles relaxed under his ministrations.

“Yeah…I guess…” Lance still looked rather putout. “I just feel bad. My parents already gave me so much…”

“You know,” the woman began, getting their attention. “It’s only a couple of pounds and the other bag is much lighter.” She pointed toward Hunk’s. “What if you just moved a couple of things around?”

Hunk brightened, shooting her a grateful smile. “I don’t mind if you want to put some of your stuff in my suitcase,” he said to Lance. “And I’m sure I won’t mistake your shirts for one of mine,” he added, hoping he could get Lance to laugh.

It wasn’t full-blown, but Lance did snort before elbowing Hunk in the ribs. “Okay, that sounds good.” He faced him, smiling wide. “Thanks, buddy.” Then he turned toward the employee. “Sorry for getting all bent out of shape.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “It happens all the time when fees are involved.” She waited for Lance to rearrange their luggage and then handed them their claim tickets. “Have a wonderful flight, boys.”

“Thanks!” Hunk said, accepting them and their boarding passes. He took a deep breath as he reached into his carry-on for his wallet, easily finding his driver’s license. “Time for security.”

“It’s been an honor,” Lance said from beside him, taking out his own ID. He paused, glancing up at Hunk dramatically. “If I don’t make it…”

“Hush, now,” Hunk cut him off. “Don’t talk like that.” They paused, the corners of their lips quivering before they both erupted in gales of laughter. “Seriously, though. Let’s hope the line isn’t too long.”

“Why do you think I gave us over three hours?” Lance asked. “You know how it… gets…” He trailed off when they turned the corner. And for the first time since Lance had suggested it, Hunk wondered if getting to the airport four hours before their flight had left them enough time.

Hunk found out later, after they’d waited in the longest line in TSA history, removed their belts, shoes, phones, laptops, and piercings – okay, they didn’t really didn’t have to do the last one, but Lance had joked about removing his and that got Hunk wondering just _what_ he’d gotten pierced because it was Hunk’s first time hearing about it – anyway, where was he? Ah, right. Hunk found out later that they could have gone through Pre-Check because, as it turned out, when Lance’s parents had changed his itinerary, they’d also upgraded both their tickets.

“First class?” Lance gaped at the security guard behind the podium, his shoes still in his hand.

“That’s what it says,” she returned his boarding pass and license. “Next time go to the far right and follow the light blue stanchions.”

Hunk and Lance were unceremoniously pushed forward by the people behind them toward the x-ray machines. And only once they were through – and after Hunk had to suffer through a very thorough body search – did they bring up their seat status again.

“First class…” Lance whistled. “I don’t think I’ve ever sat even close to those rows before.”

“My Uncle flew first class once,” Hunk said. “Then again, it was on his friend’s private jet, so I’m not sure that counts.”

Lance’s eyes widened with wonder and Hunk almost – _almost_ – told him that it was just a little puddle jumper, but he didn’t have a chance anyway. They only had another couple of hours before their plane started boarding and, even though their seats were guaranteed – as was their spot at the front of the line – old habits died hard.

“Do you think we’ll get free drinks?” Lance asked when it was finally time to board. Hunk shrugged. He was more interested in the snacks. It was an almost twelve hour flight and he’d only brought a few things to hold him over.

Apparently, Hunk needn’t have worried. Their First Class status not only got them two very plush seats – much wider, since the rows usually had three on each side – but it also came with unlimited soft drinks and snacks, not to mention their meals. Airline food wasn’t exactly gourmet, but Hunk could definitely make up for it in all the Caramel Macadamia Nut and Furikake popcorn he could eat!

Four hours – and six bags of popcorn – into their flight and Hunk was beginning to drift off. Thankfully, he’d gotten over his severe air sickness he used to suffer from as a child. Flying back and forth from Long Beach to Honolulu – and now Boca to Honolulu – sort of desensitized him to it. Still, he always made sure his seatback pocket had a bag. Just in case.

Hunk could fall asleep almost anywhere. It was a gift and a curse. Especially during long lectures after longer overnight cram sessions. But he was grateful for it now.

Lance, however, was still wide awake beside him, his leg bouncing as he flipped through the channels on the small TV in front of him. Hunk had only seen Lance fall asleep outside of his bed a few times, when he’d found his roommate conked out from studying and snoring softly on their couch.

“Find anything good?” Hunk asked, surprised at how groggy he sounded. Maybe waking up early and rushing through the airport had tired him out more than he’d realized.

“There’s about six different movies about mermaids in the channel guide,” Lance replied, not taking his eyes off of the screen in front of him. “I’m just trying to decide which one to pick first.”

Another perk of being in first class. Unlimited movies on demand.

“Want me to-”

“No, you go ahead and get some rest,” Lance interrupted, finally glancing over and offering Hunk a smile. “I can’t sleep on planes, so I’ll just watch them all.”

Not wanting to leave Lance awake and alone, but too lured by the siren call of slumber, Hunk nodded and closed his eyes, quickly dozing off.

It was turbulence that woke him sometime later, Hunk’s hand instinctively going for the air sickness bag in front of him. But he paused when he felt a weight on his shoulder. Hunk blinked and turned to see Lance was leaning into him, his eyes closed and his breathing even. Lance was still wearing his earbuds, the second Little Mermaid movie playing on his screen.

As carefully as he could, Hunk maneuvered so his back was flat against the seat. He nearly jumped when the ends of Lance’s soft, silky hair tickled the sensitive skin of his neck.

Oh, wow. Okay.

Lance was a touchy feely person. So was Hunk. And the two had been in each other’s personal bubbles more times than Hunk could count over the past four years. But hugs and snuggling during movie nights were one thing. This was more like… sleeping together.

Hunk’s face flushed, his ears burning. Lance shifted beside him, murmuring something unintelligible and Hunk froze, his eyes going wide and his hands gripping the armrests. Thankfully, Lance didn’t wake, but instead nuzzled closer into Hunk’s side, his nose brushing Hunk’s clavicle.

And Hunk… well, Hunk could have stayed like this forever, sitting in the dark, the only sounds being the hum of the airplane and the occasional cough from someone seated behind them. But, of course, life was never that easy. Because, after eating all that sweet and salty popcorn, Hunk had probably downed about three bottles of water. And that was coming back to haunt him.

Hunk quickly eyed the illuminated restroom sign not far from their seats and wondered how he could sneak away, relieve himself, and return without waking Lance and without losing his precious position as the other’s living pillow.

However, nature’s call was much louder now that he was aware of it and Hunk did what he had to. He gently placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder, hoping to shift him toward the window, but the moment he pressed his fingers against him, Lance’s eyelids fluttered open.

“Mmmn…Hunk? What?” He blinked up at him and then, after a beat pulled back, his eyes wide. It was dark, but Hunk could have sworn he’d seen the other’s cheeks tint. Though, perhaps he was just projecting. “Oh, sorry,” Lance apologized, glancing down. “I guess I was more tired than I thought.” He rubbed the back of his neck and turned his head to the side, achieving a satisfying-sounding crack. “Remind me to bring a travel pillow next time.”

Hunk was about to object, to say that Lance didn’t need a travel pillow when Hunk was ready to offer up his services in that area. But the three bottles’ worth of water was insistent. “I’ll be right back,” he said, standing up and practically running down the aisle.

When Hunk returned, Lance was watching the movie, which he’d obviously started over from the beginning. Hunk sighed. He’d missed his chance. Well, at least he’d gotten to sleep with Lance for a little bit.

He flushed again. Mind out of the gutter, Garrett.

“Wanna share?” Lance’s voice broke him from his thoughts before they could verge on dirty. He turned to see the other holding up one of his earbuds. “Melody is about to get her fin.”

Hunk smiled and accepted, leaning closer since it was all the cord allowed – not that he minded in the slightest. “Thanks, La-”

“Shh! She’s about to sing!” Lance cut him off with a hushed shout and Hunk just shook his head with a chuckle. Lance was so cute.

Man, he had it bad.

The rest of the flight was uneventful. Lance picked more movies and Hunk munched on more popcorn. Then, finally, they landed.

The time difference between Boca Raton and Honolulu was only five hours, but it was enough to cause jet lag. It should have been 10:00pm, but it was only five here. And Hunk knew it was best to stay up – no matter how tired he felt – because he’d be all out of whack if he didn’t.

Drowsily, he made it over to the baggage claim after shooting his uncle a text that they’d arrived. However, after he’d gotten their luggage, he turned to find Lance missing.

Hunk was immediately wide awake. Where had Lance gone? Was he lost? Did something happen to him?

He was just about to call Lance, when the man in question appeared, waving his arm high and wearing no less than eight different leis around his neck. “Hey, Hunk!” he called and then, when he got close enough, he gestured to the floral necklaces and smirked. “I got lei’d.” He snorted and Hunk rolled his eyes.

“Lance.” Hunk sighed. “Where did you get those?

“Right over there.” He turned and tossed a wink and some very enthusiastic finger guns toward a group of girls dressed in traditional hula garb with countless leis draped over their arms.

“I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to pay for those ahead of time,” Hunk admonished.

“Hmm,” Lance continued, turning back toward him with a shrug. “I guess they liked me.”

Well, of course they did. Who wouldn’t like Lance? He was funny, clever, cute, and sweet. Not to mention handsome, with dark blue eyes as deep as the ocean. Atlantic, not Pacific. It was very important that Hunk make that distinction, as Lance’s eyes looked like the churning water after a storm.

“Anyway,” Lance derailed Hunk’s train of thought, those same blue eyes filled with glittering mirth. “Thanks for getting our bags.” He reached for his and looked around. “Is your uncle here yet?”

Oh, right. Hunk had almost forgotten. He checked his phone and saw his uncle had replied to his text – an autocorrected nightmare – but Hunk understood it. “He’s waiting outside.”

And like that, they were off, Lance walking close to Hunk’s side and smelling of orchids and kika blossoms, even after he’d handed the leis over to family of tourists on the way out.

Outside of the terminal, pulled up in a sleek, powder blue, restored Ford was Hunk’s favorite uncle. Well, only uncle. But still.

“Hunk!” the older man called before stepping out of his car and popping the trunk for their luggage. He was tall, taller than Hunk – not quite as tall as Hunk’s older brothers, but who was? – and he easily wrapped Hunk in a huge bear hug. “You made it!” He set Hunk down and turned his attention on Lance. “Is this the Lance we’ve heard so much about?”

Hunk tried to calm the burning of his cheeks, but only succeeded in spreading his flush to his ears and down his neck. He cleared his throat. “This is my roommate, Lance, yes,” he said. “Lance, this is my Uncle Kapena.”

“Call me Cap,” Kapena said, batting Lance’s offered hand to the side in order to give him a hug. “Whoa, he’s light,” he noted, easily lifting Lance a good two feet off of the ground.

“Or you’re strong,” Lance replied with a laugh – which, thankfully only sounded slightly terrified – or so Hunk assumed. Then again, Lance was smiling wide when Kapena set him back on his feet.

“It runs in the family,” Kapena replied, shooting Hunk a wink that only caused Hunk’s face to burn brighter. Never mind that he and his uncle weren’t actually blood related, but Hunk would fill Lance in on all that info later. After all, there was something else Lance was bound to notice first.

However, before Hunk could even think to tell his best friend and roommate about his home life, they were in the car and Kapena had shifted it into gear, tearing off down the pickup line toward Highway 3. It had been a while since Hunk had last ridden with his uncle and he’d forgotten how reckless he could be. He turned around from his position in the passenger seat, wishing that Lance had not turned down his offer of shotgun.

Hunk winced as Lance bounced around the backseat of the car like a pinball.

“Uncle, do you think we could take it easy?” Hunk asked, voice rising above the volume of the radio, which Kapena tended to like a bit too loud.

“You’re getting queasy?” Kapena half-asked, half-shouted before turning the music down. “What’s that, Honi?”

And from the back, as if he hadn’t just been flung around for the past few miles, Lance perked up, his face suddenly right beside Hunk’s and his chin resting on the seatback. “Honi?” he asked, furrowing his brow.

Kapena grinned, his gaze shifting toward Hunk before returning to the road. “Don’t tell me Hunk here hasn’t told you his real name.”

Let’s get one thing straight. It wasn’t that Hunk didn’t like his name. He thought it was pretty cool, actually. He and his brothers all had traditional Polynesian names. However, ‘Hunk’ was easier. Hunk was what everyone called him, even his family did – some of the time – so it was weird when his birth name came up.

“Wait a minute…” Lance cocked his head to the side. “I think I remember seeing that name somewhere before.” He paused, rubbing his chin. “That’s right! Oh my gosh, blast from the past!” he said excitedly. “That was my original roommate’s name. Which, I guess makes sense, since you were my original roommate in the dorms,” he chuckled, tapping Hunk’s shoulder. “I wondered why it said that, but I figured he’d transferred when you introduced yourself as Hunk.”

Hunk ducked his head. “Yeah, I just…go by Hunk because Honi is-”

“I like it,” Lance said with a grin, but then his eyes widened as he hastily added, “Unless you don’t like it. I mean, do you not want me to use it or…?”

Hunk bit his lip to keep from smiling and just barely caught Kapena wink at him from the corner of his eye before he turned around to face Lance. “I don’t mind if you use it.” His face flushed – for some reason – and he returned to sitting properly in his seat.

“Honi…” Lance tested it and Hunk’s flush deepened. Oh, Lance made his name sound good. “What’s it mean?”

But it was Kapena who answered. “Amiable,” he said, gripping the wheel as he followed the curve of the highway. “It suits him, don’t you think.”

Again, Hunk’s face was burning, but he peeked over his shoulder just in time to see Lance sitting back in his seat, a soft smile curving his lips. “Yes, it does.”

Hunk wasn’t a fan of being double-teamed with compliments, but it sure made him feel warm inside. Lance liked his name. He inwardly beamed and adjusted himself in his seat, getting comfortable. It was another thirty minutes until they were home, but he was so distracted by the warmth bubbling up in his chest, it passed in the blink of an eye.

Hunk’s familial home was located in a small town situated on Oahu’s windward coast. It had a population just under fifteen hundred, but it felt like it doubled this time of the year, when families returned to visit.

“Whoa,” Lance said as he stepped out of the car, eyeing the long, narrow beach and reef not far from his house. “Hunk, man, you grew up here?” He blinked, head on a swivel. “It’s beautiful!”

“Actually,” Hunk interrupted, getting Lance’s attention. “I was just born here,” he explained. “My family moved to Long Beach when I was three and I went to school there until I got accepted to college and moved to Boca.”

“Oh.” Lance nodded. “But your family lives here now?”

“Yes,” Hunk answered. “When my grandmother passed, my mom and uncle inherited her house, so my parents moved back.” Hunk was about to busy himself by getting their luggage out of the trunk, but Kapena already had it in hand and was walking toward the house, motioning for Hunk to stay. “About my parents…”

“Oh, right!” Lance tore his gaze away from the waves and flashed Hunk his signature smile. “I can’t wait to meet them!” He reached for Hunk’s hand and pulled him toward the house before screeching to a complete stop. Hunk had to step to the side to avoid running straight into Lance’s back. He whipped around, eyes wide. “How’s my hair?”

Hunk blinked for a moment and then relaxed into a smile. “Perfect,” he breathed and then quickly recovered. “It looks great, man.”

“And my breath?” Lance huffed into his hand and gave a sniff before gazing up at Hunk.

“Totally minty fresh,” Hunk replied.

“What about my-”

“Lance, you’re fine,” Hunk assured him. “I promise I wouldn’t let you meet my parents looking like a hobo, okay?”

That seemed to calm him and Hunk puffed his chest out with pride – at least, on the inside – before taking the lead and guiding Lance toward his family’s house. He itched to reach out for Lance’s hand, but thought that might give his parents the wrong impression. Especially considering the looks his uncle had been giving him during their ride home.

“Okay.” Lance took a deep breath and Hunk mirrored him. “I’m ready.”

Hunk just wasn’t sure if _he_ was ready. But it was too late now, so, without wondering what on Earth his uncle had told his parents about his and Lance’s relationship – never mind the whole lot of them teased him relentlessly whenever he’d bring his roommate up in conversation – he stepped inside.

“Mom?” he called. “We’re home!”

Half a second later, his mother appeared, dancing into the room, her curls bouncing as she did. She ran straight into Hunk, her forehead running smackdab into the middle of his chest. “Ah, baby, you’re home!” she cheered before pulling back to get a good look at him. “Oh, my goodness, what are they feeding you at that school? You’re skin and bones!”

“Mom…” Hunk blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. Sometimes she could be so---

“And who’s this?” She peered around Hunk’s form before bounding over to Lance. “You must be the best friend we’ve heard so much about.” She looked him up and down before holding her arms open wide. “Give us a hug, Lance.”

And, ever the polite guest, Lance acquiesced, giving Hunk’s mother a hug before pulling back. “Wow, your dad must be tall,” Lance blurted before covering his mouth. “I’m sorry, blame the jetlag,” he said before turning toward Hunk. “I just figured he had to be, considering how-”

“Petite I am?” she giggled. “We get that a lot, but actually-”

“Did I hear my little boy is home?” another familiar voice drifted into the room and Hunk turned to face its source.

“Mama,” he greeted. His mama was a whole head and shoulders taller than his mom.

“Luana, why didn’t you tell me our baby was home?” she asked.

“I’m sorry, Elizabeth,” Luana replied, “but you were outside and Cap said our little Honi was here, so-”

“Oh, you can make it up to me later, love,” Elizabeth cut her off with a quick kiss before facing Hunk. “Look at you,” she said before taking Hunk into her arms. “Oh, I’ve missed you so much my little _manena_.”

Hunk melted into his mama’s embrace before taking a quick peek over at Lance. The other was looking between Hunk’s mothers with interest. And this was always the part that was hard to explain. Well, not the hardest part, but--- And, as if on cue, Hunk’s dad walked into the room.

“George, our baby’s home!” Elizabeth called over to him. “Come, Honi, go hug your father.”

Hunk didn’t have to look back over at Lance to know the gears in his head were spinning. He hadn’t gotten very specific about his family life, not even to Lance. It wasn’t that the other hadn’t ever expressed an interested. Heck, Lance shared almost everything about his own family. But Hunk was more reserved, especially considering how people had reacted in the past.

George released Hunk from a bear hug before greeting Lance. “And you’re the famous best friend. Lance, right?”

“Yes, sir,” Lance was quick to answer. “Thank you for having me.”

“Oh, you’re more than welcome,” Luana said, waving her hand in dismissal before sneaking her way between the taller two of Hunk’s parents. “Oh, but we haven’t properly introduced ourselves.”

Hunk took that as his cue. “Lance, these are my parents, my dad George, my mama Elizabeth, and my mom Luana.” He bit his lower lip. “Mom, Mama, Dad…this is Lance.”

“Oh, Lance, we’ve heard such good things!” Elizabeth said. “Thank you for taking care of our _manena_ while he’s off at college.”

If Lance thought Hunk’s parents’ relationship was odd, he certainly didn’t show it. He just stepped forward and greeted them each in turn, receiving another hug from his mom.

“We’re almost finished with dinner,” Luana said when she let him go. “Mack is setting the table and Kai will be here with Mahealani and the kids in an hour or so.” She clasped her hands behind her back. “Cap took your suitcases upstairs if you want to freshen up.”

“Thank you,” Lance said before turning to Hunk, completely unfazed. “Lead the way.”

No one had ever reacted to his parents like that before. Usually they were full of questions or sort of freaked out. Lance just rolled with it. Perhaps Hunk should have told him about it ages ago. But it had been so easy to say ‘his parents this’ or ‘his parents that’ instead to divulging the information.

Still, it was out now and Lance had accepted them.

“All right, follow me.” Hunk climbed the steps up to the second floor, Lance right behind. As per usual, his middle brother Mack had claimed the east-facing window – which was a shame, considering how much Lance had liked looking at the ocean – and the largest bedroom at the end of the hall was reserved for Kai and his family. So that left the bedroom across from his uncle’s.

“Whoa, this bed is huge,” Lance gaped.

“It just looks it cuz the room is small,” Hunk supplied with a laugh.

“No way, it’s definitely gigantic,” Lance argued. “I mean, what is it? A California King?” He was so interested in the bed, going on and on about how many people could fit on it, that Hunk had to interrupt him to finally bring it up.

“It really doesn’t bother you?” he asked, wondering if maybe Lance was just avoiding the subject to be nice. Having a triad for parents was a little unorthodox, after all. In fact, it was the reason that – outside of his uncle and their late grandmother – they were cut off from the rest of the family.

“The bed?” Lance questioned, quirking a brow.

“My parents,” Hunk corrected. “Their relationship… it doesn’t bother you?”

Lance frowned, crawling across the bed on his knees until he was close enough to look Hunk right in the eye. “Why would it bother me?” And before Hunk could begin listing the reasons it might, Lance continued. “So, your parents are a healthy triad-” He knew the word? “-I think that’s great!”

Hunk opened his mouth and then closed it, unsure what to say. Thankfully, Lance was really good at filling silences.

Though, it surprised Hunk when he snorted really loud. “Oh, my gosh, you know what I just realized?” Lance said, barely containing his glee. It was so infectious, Hunk found the corners of his own lips turning up. “Your parents are Poly Polyam!” He snorted again. “Because, Hawai’i is Polynesian and…” he trailed off, his laugh petering out. “Seriously, though,” he said, completely sober now. “Your parents seem wonderful. And you’re really blessed to have three of them.”

Hunk could have cried. Or laughed. Or both! But instead, he rushed forward and wrapped Lance in a hug, nearly sending both of them sprawling onto the bed. In fact, just as he realized as much, he made to pull back, but Lance’s knees twisted in the sheets and they both fell, landing side-by-side on the large mattress.

“Whoa,” Lance said, obviously dazed. “It’s a good thing this bed is as huge as it is,” he wheezed, close enough that his warm breath fanned over Hunk’s cheeks. “We could have fallen off.”

The sound of a throat being cleared caught their attention and both boys craned their necks to look at Kapena standing in the doorway. “I put your luggage in the closet,” he said before shooting Hunk a knowing look.

As quickly as he could, Hunk scrambled off of the bed, his face on fire. “Thanks,” he managed, not daring to look up at his uncle again. Kapena wasn’t even as bad as Kai or Mack. Oh, his brothers were going to be so much worse in teasing him about his apparently ‘completely obvious’ crush on his best friend.

Hunk turned toward the bed to find Lance stretched out on the mattress – seemingly unfazed. He rolled onto his belly and smiled up at Hunk. “Shall we get changed for dinner?”

Oh, right. They were sharing a room. Which meant they’d be getting changed in front of each other. Which they hadn’t really done since freshman year. And that was three and a half years of one-sided pining ago.

Hunk gulped. It was going to be a miracle if he survived this vacation.

“Actually,” Hunk began, voice only cracking a little bit. “I think I’m going to head to the bathroom first-”

“Oh, good call,” Lance replied, clearly not offended that Hunk was obviously avoiding changing in front of him – at least, Hunk hoped – “I’ll change really quick and video call my parents before dinner,” he said and then quickly added, “If that’s okay?”

“Totally!” Hunk blurted. “I mean, that’s fine, man.” He cleared his throat, cursing his awkwardness. He _lived_ with Lance, for crying out loud. Why was he so tense right now?

Probably because it was getting harder and harder to hide his gargantuan crush – something his entire family would prove impossible over the next few days – combined with the fact that he and Lance would not only be sharing a room, but a bed.

Hunk cleared his throat again. “I’ll bring my clothes with me into the bathroom so you can have some privacy,” he started, but Lance shook his head.

“Nah, no worries, man,” he said. “I’m going to take my call outside,” he explained. “I really want to show them the beach.”

Hunk breathed a sigh of relief. If the bedrooms were little, the bathroom was miniscule. And he was not a small man. Changing in the space between the tub, sink, and door would have proved quite difficult.

“Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll be back then.”

Hunk took his time in the bathroom, washing his face and scrubbing up to his elbows to get the ‘airport’ off of him. But halfway through his cleansing, he decided he actually had enough time for a quick shower. And so, knowing Lance’s talks with his family tended to go long, Hunk turned on the tap and waited for the water to get nice and hot.

When his entire family had been home growing up, Hunk was usually the last to shower, having to wait for his parents and older brothers to finish before he finally got his turn. But now, with everyone else busy doing other things, Hunk happily let the nearly scalding water run over his body. It felt great on his aching muscles, sore from the long flight.

He thought back to sitting on the plane, with Lance so close beside him. How the other had fallen asleep on his shoulder. And how that would probably happen tonight.

As big as the bed was – or so Lance claimed – Hunk knew from experience that his roommate moved around when he slept, wrapping lanky arms and legs around a pillow or the couch cushion. Hunk’s face flushed, even above the temperature of the water, as he imagined Lance wrapping those long legs around him.

A delicious shudder wracked his body and Hunk had to immediately turn down the temperature in an attempt to ignore the other visuals his overactive imagination was all too eager to supply.

Lance on his bed. Lance wearing maybe a little less than usual on his bed. Lance plastered up against his side, his head pillowed on Hunk’s chest and his hands wandering…

Hunk turned off the water and shook his head, sending droplets flying in every direction. He was not going to think about Lance like that. Not when his best friend was spending time with his family as… well, just that. His friend. Nothing more. They were friends.

He bit his lip, repeating that phrase over and over in his head like a mantra, as he stepped out of the shower and grabbed his towel. After drying off, he opened the door – leaving the fan on, because his mom raised him right – and made his way back to the bedroom.

As Hunk suspected, Lance was still out, probably telling his mother all about the flight and everything that had happened so far. Relieved, Hunk walked over to the closet and found his suitcase. He hefted it up onto the bed and unzipped it, letting it fall open.

Hunk was a pretty organized guy. But he’d nearly forgotten that they’d had to stuff a few of Lance’s things in his bag because of the weight limit. As carefully as he could, Hunk removed Lance’s shirts and a couple pairs of pants so he could get to his own clothing. But he froze when his fingers brushed against something entirely too silky – and far too small – to be his own.

Gingerly, Hunk lifted the pale blue garment, his eyes going wide and a blush blooming on his cheeks. In his hands, he held a pair of underwear. Well, if Hunk was being honest, the word he’d use to describe them would be ‘panties.’ They were silky smooth with soft lace at the waistband.

Hunk stared at them. They definitely weren’t his. Which meant they could only be one other person’s. Lance’s.

He was holding Lance’s silk underwear. A thousand images flew into his mind of Lance wearing these, posed in various positions, a coy little smile gracing his lips.

Hunk swallowed.

“Hey, Honi-”

Immediately, Hunk jumped and flung the underwear clear across the room before turning to face the door he’d so stupidly left open. Thankfully, he was still wearing his towel. “Y-Yes?” he squeaked, spotting his middle brother leaning against the frame, one eyebrow quirked.

“Mama wanted me to let you know that everyone’s here and that dinner is ready,” he said, still eyeing Hunk suspiciously. “Everything all right?”

“Yup!” Hunk said, gaze darting toward where he thought the underwear might have flown. Of course, they were nowhere to be found. Which was probably for the best. Hunk wasn’t sure how he was going to explain himself if Mack spotted a pair of silk panties on his lampshade. “Lemme just get dressed.”

“Okay,” Mack said, letting it go – for now. “I’ll see you downstairs, braddah.”

Hunk watched him go and released a breath when the door shut behind him. Then he stood up and quickly searched for the underwear. Somehow, they’d managed to vanish completely and, not wanting to raise his brother’s suspicion further, Hunk went back to his suitcase and pulled out some clothes to wear, happily noting that no others of Lance’s unmentionables had found their way into his luggage.

When Hunk arrived downstairs, everyone was already in the kitchen and seated around the table. At the head was his mama, seated between his mom and dad. On the other side sat his eldest brother Kai between his wife Mahealani and Mack. Hunk’s nephew and niece, Kelani and Alani were sitting next to their mom and Uncle Kapena. On the other side was Lance, who smiled brightly the moment his gaze landed on Hunk.

“There he is!” Elizabeth cheered, motioning for Hunk to join them. “I was starting to think I’d need to send Makoa back up for you,” she chuckled.

“I told you he still needed to get dressed, Mama,” Mack replied, his mouth full as he’d already started eating. “He was still naked when I walked in there.”

Hunk’s cheeks burned, but he tried to shake it off as he took his seat beside Lance.

“Naked, huh?” Lance asked, elbowing Hunk in the ribs and waggling his eyebrows.

“I took a shower,” Hunk explained – not that he needed to. His hair was still damp. But he felt compelled – “Mack just picked the wrong time to walk in.”

“Because you left the door open,” came Mack’s muffled reply.

“Mommy always tells us to shut the door when we’re changing,” Alani said. “Hunkle should know better.”

Beside Hunk, Lance nearly choked on his food. He coughed and pounded on his chest before looking up at him through watery eyes. “ _Hunkle?_ Oh, my God, I love that!”

“We’ve always called Uncle Honi ‘Hunkle’,” Kelani said proudly from beside his sister. “I thought of it.”

Alani gaped and drew her brows down as she faced her brother. “No, _I_ did!”

“Did not!”

“Did so!”

“Did-”

“Kids, please,” Mahealani interrupted. “Don’t yell. It was a long flight and Mommy still has a headache.”

“Do you want to lie down?” Kai asked, reaching over to give his wife’s shoulder a rub.

Hunk’s oldest brother was the only one who was married. Actually, he was the only one in a serious relationship. Mack hadn’t brought anyone home – or talked about having someone special – and Hunk had been head over heels for his best friend and roommate since freshman year, so his love life was nonexistent.

But Hunk always envied his oldest brother. Well, maybe envy wasn’t the right feeling. It was more like respect and admiration. Kai was a good man and a good husband. He was a great father, too. Hunk hoped he would be like him one day.

“So,” Kai continued, still giving Mahealani’s shoulder a rub as he turned his attention on Hunk. “Are you going to introduce us to your boyfriend, Honi?”

All right, scratch that. Hunk needed to find a new role model.

Thankfully, Lance just chuckled from beside him. “I’m Lance,” he said. “Hunk’s roommate.”

“Ah, the infamous Lance,” Kai replied, shooting Mack a knowing look before grinning at Lance. “We’ve heard so much about you.”

“Wow, Mama, this pork is really good,” Hunk changed the subject. “Did you try the new smoker Uncle bought?”

“Actually, I did,” Elizabeth replied. “George finally got the thing working.”

“I would have helped,” Kapena said from his brother-in-law’s side. “But he was being stubborn.”

“Ha!” George snorted. “That’s _his_ story.”

“Don’t fight, you two…” Luana rolled her eyes.

Hunk breathed another sigh of relief. He knew if he got his parents and uncle arguing – they called it ‘a discussion’ – he could keep his family from embarrassing him in front of Lance.

The last thing he needed was his brothers confessing for him.

Not that Hunk had planned on confessing or anything like that. He just meant… Ugh… never mind.

“Hunkle,” Alani caught his attention. “I lost another tooth.”

Hunk smiled at his niece. “Did you?”

“Uh-huh.” She nodded. “The tooth fairy gave me five whole dollars!”

“Yeah, that’s pretty cool,” Kelani interrupted his sister. “But what’s even cooler is that Dad finally let me have my own board.” He was beaming. “Maybe we can surf after dinner.”

“Not tonight,” Elizabeth pulled herself out of the ‘discussion’ and looked at her grandson. “Everyone is exhausted from traveling and it’s already dark outside.”

“Aww…” Both kids pouted.

“But I’m sure Hunkle will take you surfing tomorrow,” his mama continued. “Right, _manena_?”

“Sure,” Hunk agreed. “And I’ll bet Lance will want to join in,” he told the kids. “He’s never surfed in the Pacific before.”

Their eyes went wide. “Uncle Lance can surf, too!”

Hunk was about to correct them, his face bright red at the insinuation, but Lance beat him to it.

“I sure can,” Lance replied, clearly not bothered by his niece and nephew’s misunderstanding. “But your Hunkle is right. I’ve never surfed in the Pacific before, so you’ll have to show me the ropes, okay?”

“Okay!” they cheered in unison.

And after that initial bout of embarrassment – and a few more moments, courtesy of Mack and Kai – the rest of dinner went smoothly. Lance got along really well with Hunk’s family. But of course, he did. Lance got along well with everyone. Still, it warmed Hunk’s heart to see him interacting so easily with the most important people in his life.

“Hoooo…I’m stuffed,” Lance moaned from beside him. “I couldn’t eat another bite.”

“Well, you did have three plates,” Hunk teased him.

“Only because everything was so delicious!” Lance argued, but there was no bite to it.

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed our cooking,” Elizabeth said.

“And we’ve got more where that came from,” Luana added. “It’s nearly Christmas! It’s a feast every night.”

“And every day.” George chuckled.

“Not to mention all the desserts and cookies Luana and Mahealani always make,” Kapena threw in with a pat to his belly. “I guess my diet will have to wait until next month.”

“I think these two are ready for bed,” Kai noted, gesturing toward his kids, whose eyes were drooping.

“I’m not…tired…” Kelani managed through a huge yawn.

“It’s a little early, but I’m ready for bed,” Mahealani agreed and then giggled when Kai leaned in, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her neck. “Okay, okay. Just the kids,” she said. “After all, I wouldn’t want to miss our favorite tradition.”

“Tradition?” Lance visibly perked up from beside Hunk.

“Yeah,” Mack was the one to answer. “We always play charades the first night.”

“Everyone’s jetlagged, so it makes for some hilarious memories,” Kai added. “Remember last year when Cap was supposed to be a coconut tree and everyone was so loopy, they kept guessing T-Pose?” He laughed.

“And Cap got so mad because he didn’t know what it meant?” Mack snorted.

Kapena grumbled from the other side of the table. “I’m still not sure what the heck that is…”

Kai and Mack started laughing in earnest and Hunk joined in, happy to note that Lance, too, was chuckling beside him.

“Anyway,” Mahealani interjected. “Let’s put these two to bed and then we can all play. Sound good?”

“Sounds great!” Lance cheered and Hunk couldn’t have been happier. After all, this was one of his favorite traditions, too. And he was happy he could share it with his best friend.

As it turned out, Lance was really, almost unbearably bad at charades. And if Hunk wasn’t content with just watching Lance contort his body into various shapes – wow, was he ever flexible – he’d probably have felt bad about making him play.

Lance, however, was unfazed, and continued trying to bend himself into what turned out to be ‘Eight Maids a’Milking.’

“You know, like the Christmas song?” Lance had added later. Hunk wasn’t sure who’d put that one into the pile, but he was happy he hadn’t been the one to draw it.

“Okay, it’s Honi’s turn,” Mahealani said, giving the shoebox a shake before holding it out to Hunk. They’d been playing for a while and pretty soon, his parents would turn in and the box would be switched with one that had more…adult things to act out.

This wasn’t Hunk’s favorite part of their tradition, as he was often left blushing like a school boy at his brothers’ – and uncle’s – antics.

“Okay,” Hunk said as he pulled a slip of paper from the box. His eyes widened and his lips curved up at the corners despite his best efforts to stay neutral. “This is a good one.” He wet his lips and rolled his shoulders before getting into position.

A few years ago, they’d decided to take the game outside. It was the first and only time they’d played charades on the beach. And with good reason. Mahealani had rolled her ankle on the sand, Kai had fallen flat on his face when he’d rushed to help her, and Mack had been pinched by a crab. Of course, that wouldn’t have been too bad, but it had held on tight to the seat of his pants when Mack shot up, the little crustacean not budging as Mack ran around the beach screaming.

In order to recreate the event as accurately as possible, Hunk took a seat on the ground. Immediately, his family started throwing out guesses, but he just shook his head. Then, he jumped to his feet and started running around the coffee table, swatting at his behind.

“Oh, oh! Makoa and the crab!” Luana shouted and Hunk bobbed his head. He was laughing too hard to answer her outright. And soon, everyone joined in.

Except for Lance.

When Hunk’s laughter finally subsided, he wiped the tears from his eyes and noticed that Lance was sitting quietly, his eyes downcast. “Hey-” he began, but his dad interrupted.

“Well, I think it’s about time we hit the hay,” George said, standing up and stretching his arms over his head.

“Yes, I’m exhausted,” Elizabeth agreed. “Come give your mama kisses, boys,” she said and then turned to her daughter-in-law. “You, too, Mahealani.”

Hunk did as he was asked, bidding each one of his parents goodnight, but his gaze never left Lance. The other hadn’t moved.

“Well, now that the Old Fogies have gone to bed, what say we make this game interesting?” Kapena – the oldest of the adults – suggested.

“Actually,” Lance finally spoke. “I think I’m going to go to bed, too.” He wet his lips, rubbing his neck as he stood up. “I’m pretty wiped,” he explained, not making eye contact. “It was great meeting you all. Goodnight.”

And, in a blink, he was up the stairs, Hunk’s gaze following his form as he left.

It was quiet for a bit, Hunk’s attention still on the staircase, until Mahealani cleared her throat, finally getting his attention.

“Well?” She looked up at him from her spot on the couch, her eyebrows raised.

“Oh, right,” Hunk said, swallowing. “My turn ended.”

“No, you lolo.” Mack crossed his arms over his chest and gestured upstairs with his chin. “Go check on him, yeah?”

“I-” Hunk blinked, unsure what to say.

“You’re obviously worried about him,” Kai continued. “And he’s obviously upset about something, so…”

“Go check on your boyfriend, Honi,” Kapena finished for him.

Hunk was about to correct them. But he didn’t. They knew he and Lance weren’t dating. They were just teasing him again. But they didn’t look like they were making fun of him. In fact, each of his remaining family members – who hadn’t gone to bed – was smiling at him.

“Right,” Hunk said with a nod. “I’ll be right back down-”

“Stay as long as you need,” Kai offered.

“We’re getting ready to go to sleep soon, anyway,” Mahealani added.

“Just try to keep it down, will ya?” Mack said. “My room is just across the hall.”

And so, face blazing, Hunk did as he was told and walked up the stairs to comfort his distressed best friend.

Thankfully, by the time he reached the door to their shared room, Hunk’s face had cooled. He raised his fist, poised to knock, when he heard a sniffle through the door.

Oh no…

Lance wore his heart on his sleeve and was a pretty emotional guy. But that didn’t mean it made Hunk seeing him cry any easier. It always made his heart ache when Lance was upset. Which was why Hunk was always there to cheer Lance up. But this time, he was worried that it was his fault. After all, Lance had been happily playing the game until it was Hunk’s turn again.

Still, Hunk had to try. And so, after steeling himself, Hunk gently rapped on the door. “Lance? You in there, buddy?”

“Oh, uh…” There was a rustling of sheets. “Yeah, um…c’mon in, man.”

Hunk took a deep breath and then turned the knob. He stepped into the room and found Lance on the bed, already in his pajamas. He was no longer crying, but his eyes were red-rimmed and the tip of his nose was rosy.

Hunk closed the door behind him and, cutting to the chase, he took a seat beside Lance, the mattress dipping beneath their combined weight. “You wanna talk about it?”

How long had they known each other? Apparently long enough for Lance to know when he couldn’t cover up his feelings. So, he launched into it without preamble. “I miss my family,” Lance admitted, wetting his lips. “I don’t mean to sound rude or ungrateful,” he continued. “Your family is great – amazing really, I just…” he sighed. “When you got up there and did the crab thing and everyone knew what it was and I didn’t, I…”

Hunk’s eyes widened. He hadn’t thought of that! Lance had been the only one who didn’t get it because it was an inside joke. How could Hunk have been so stupid? “Lance, I’m sorry, I-”

“No, don’t apologize,” Lance interrupted, holding a hand up. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” he explained. “I just…it reminded me of all the silly little things me and my family do and I… I got homesick and…” His lower lip trembled as he spoke. “I miss them so much.”

Hunk didn’t hesitate. He didn’t even think. He just leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Lance, pulling him into a hug. And Lance didn’t fight him. He collapsed against him, nuzzling into the crook of Hunk’s shoulder. Hunk tried his best to hold in the shiver elicited by Lance’s warm breath against his sensitive flesh, but he failed miserably.

“I’m sorry,” Lance mumbled against his skin, not seeming to notice the effect he had on Hunk. “This is silly.”

“No…” Hunk shook his head – as best he could with Lance’s nestled under his chin – “Your family is important to you. Of course you’d be upset that you can’t see them.”

“I didn’t mean to ruin charades…” Lance sniffled again.

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Hunk soothed, one of his hands coming up to rub Lance’s back. “We were pretty much done anyway, besides-” He pulled back enough so he could look down at him. “I would stop in the middle of a round for you.”

Lance looked up at him, his dark blue eyes shining with unshed tears. “Hunk,” he began, “What would I do without you?”

There he was, the Lance that appeared after the storm. And, in a practiced motion, Hunk hugged him to his chest once more. “Probably starve to death,” he teased, his usual response. Lance laughed against Hunk’s collarbone, just like he always did when he started to feel better.

But this time, Lance did something a little different. “I love you, man.”

He’d said it before, usually after Hunk made his favorite dinner or a special snack for his study session. But he hadn’t said it when they were close like this. And Hunk, powerless to stop it, replied.

“I love you, too.”

Now, that… _That_ , Hunk had never said in return. In his head, yes, but never out loud. But it was too late to take it back. Even if Lance was wriggling out of his grasp. Even if Hunk’s heart had plummeted into his stomach. Even if he’d ruined their friendship with three – well, technically four – little words.

“You do?” Lance asked, looking up at him with wide eyes. Then he smiled, soft and fond. “You do.”

Hunk opened his mouth to object, but he didn’t want to lie. Not anymore. Not when Lance was in his arms. Not when his whole family supported him. And when Lance had so readily accepted them.

“Yeah,” Hunk sighed, reaching up to cup Lance’s cheek. “I do.”

“Oh, thank God!” Lance threw his head back, letting his shoulders slump. “I thought you’d never confess.”

Hunk blinked. “What?”

“Pidge kept saying it and your family insinuated all night, but I still wasn’t a hundred percent sure and I didn’t want to risk our friendship over me reading too much into things and-”

“Whoa, whoa.” Hunk held his hands up. “Slow down.”

Lance nodded and then took Hunk’s hands in his. “I love you, too, you big dope,” he said. “I’ve been in love with you, for like, two years.” A light pink color dusted Lance’s cheeks as he ducked his head. “Maybe longer, if I’m honest.”

Okay. Wait. Hold on. That math wasn’t adding up. Hunk had seen Lance chase after plenty of people in their time living together. Then again, it wasn’t impossible to be in love with someone and still try to date other people. Especially if you thought your feelings were unrequited. Heck, even Hunk had gone on a few blind dates, set up by his friends. But all he seemed to talk about was…

“Lance,” he breathed. “Are you serious? Because if you’re saying this as a joke, it’s not funny.” He tried to look stern, but it was hard with the way his heart was fluttering in his chest, open and vulnerable.

“I’m serious,” Lance replied. “How could I _not_ love you?”

Hunk wanted to argue. Wanted to tell Lance that _he_ was the one who was impossible not to love. But instead, he just dove forward, knocking Lance onto his back on the mattress and caging him with his arms.

“Whoa!” Lance blinked up at him, but then quickly recovered, wrapping his arms around Hunk’s neck. “You move fast, huh?”

“I’ve been in love with you for four years,” Hunk blurted, not caring that his face was on fire. “From the moment I met you and every day after, I’ve fallen more and more in love with you, Lance.” He bit his lip, trying to keep the words in, but they found their way out. “God, can I kiss you? May I? I mean-” Hunk cursed, but Lance just chuckled.

“Yeah, go for it, Big Guy.” And that was all it took. Hunk dipped down and brushed their lips together. Once. Twice. And on the third time, he lingered, loving the way Lance melted against him. “Hunk…” he moaned when they broke apart.

“Lance,” he returned before kissing him again. Lance reached up for one of Hunk’s hands, twining their fingers as Hunk pressed them down onto the mattress, deepening the kiss. He lost himself in that kiss, pouring every bit of emotion into it. Their joined hands glided over the top of the sheets as Hunk pinned Lance’s hand above his head. But they both froze when their hands slid under the pillow.

“What?” Lance questioned, unlacing their fingers and pulling out the object they’d brushed against. Hunk wasn’t sure whose face turned a deeper shade of red when Lance lifted the light blue, silken fabric up into the space between them. “Hunk,” he began, kiss-plump lips forming around the words. “Are these my underwear?”

Hunk drew back, his eyes wide. He worked his jaw, but nothing was coming out of his mouth. Finally, like the giant grouping of crushed ice at the bottom of nearly empty, extra large movie theater cup of soda that had been tipped to its breaking point, everything came out all at once.

“I was looking for my clothes to get changed earlier and remember how we needed to put some of your stuff in my suitcase so it wouldn’t be overweight? Well, apparently, your underwear – _your very sexy, silken underwear_ – somehow ended up with mixed in with mine and I didn’t mean to look at it, but then my brother knocked on the door and I-”

“Hunk, whoa, easy,” Lance placated, lifting his free hand to stroke Hunk’s cheek. “I’m not mad. Just, uh…” Lance’s cheeks tinted as he averted his gaze. “I was hoping you’d get to see them _on_ me first. That’s all.”

Hunk blinked, his mind taking a few moments to completely reboot before he finally managed to respond. “You brought those…to wear for me?”

“Well, yeah,” Lance said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I mean, who brings sexy lingerie on a family vacation if not to wear them when they finally confess to their long-time crush and best friend in the whole universe?”

A chuckle escaped Hunk’s lips before he nodded. “Airtight logic.”

“Would you expect anything less?” Lance batted his eyelashes, biting his lip as he twirled the silken panties around one of his long fingers. “So…what happens now?”

“Now?” Hunk cocked his head to the side.

“We sort of got interrupted just when things were getting really good,” Lance supplied, glancing up at Hunk demurely. “But, how far did you actually want to go?”

Once again, Hunk’s mind was filled with visions of Lance. Some cute and cuddly and others…well…not so much. He knew his cheeks were bright red. Heck, his ears were, too. And he was embarrassed to say that he was already starting to get hard at the suggestion alone. A fact that hadn’t escaped Lance’s notice.

“So, keep going then?” Lance nearly purred, arching his back so his hips brushed up against Hunk’s, eliciting a pleasured hiss before Hunk could clamp his mouth shut. But then Lance sobered, his face completely serious. “We’ll only do what you’re comfortable with,” he said, not breaking eye contact. “But I just want you to know, I’m going to burst if you don’t touch me in some way, shape, or form in the next two seconds.”

Not wanting to disappoint, Hunk acquiesced, bringing a hand to rest on Lance’s narrow waist, just above where his pajama top had started to ride up, revealing his best friend’s – no, _boyfriend’s_ – delicious skin. “We can pick back up where we left off,” Hunk breathed, brushing a thumb over the sensitive flesh and reveling in Lance’s full body shudder. “I want to touch you.” He lowered his hand so it was hovering just above Lance’s crotch, his clothed arousal already half-hard, much to Hunk’s relief and excitement. “Is that okay?”

Lance looped his arms around Hunk’s neck once again and grinned up at him. “More than okay,” he promised. “I don’t even know where to begin,” he admitted. “I want my mouth on you, but I also want to take you in my hand. Not to mention the fact that I want these-” he paused, dropping the panties in favor of taking Hunk’s other hand into his and re-lacing their fingers. “I want _these_ ,” he stressed, “inside me.”

Hunk could imagine it all. Lance’s mouth wrapped around him or his hand, warm and smooth, fisting his length until he spilled between them. But Hunk liked Lance’s last suggestion best. Of course, that required something he didn’t have readily available.

“Lance, I don’t have any-”

“Just a sec,” Lance interrupted, angling his body so he could reach his suitcase on the floor. Though, as flexible as he was, he couldn’t quite get there, so, after shooting Hunk an apologetic glance, Lance scrambled out from under him and crawled toward the edge of the bed, his hips swinging from side to side as he did.

And, hey, Hunk wasn’t complaining, considering his view.

“First rule of scouts,” Lance proclaimed as he rifled through his bag and pulled out his prize: a small tube of lubricant. “Always be prepared.”

Hunk raised his brows, giving Lance a Look. “You were never a scout.”

“The sentiment still holds true,” Lance reasoned with a wave of his hand.

Then it hit him. “You brought that…”

“Just in case,” Lance replied, having the decency to blush. “I wasn’t sure how the confession would go, so, I wanted to be ready.” He snorted then. “Actually, I was so worried about this falling out of my bag when we moved some of my stuff into your suitcase, I didn’t notice my underwear getting relocated.” He laughed.

Hunk joined him and then sat up, patting the spot beside him. “Well, I’m glad you were prepared.”

“Me, too,” Lance said, verging on shyly as he took the offered position on the bed. “I’ve, uh…” He cleared his throat. “I’ve done this a few times, um, with my fingers, so…” He wet his lips nervously.

“Yeah, but,” Hunk interrupted, pressing his palm against Lance’s and noting the significant size difference of their fingers, not to mention the width. “I’ll go slow, okay?”

Lance released a breath in whoosh. “Yeah, okay.”

It was a little awkward. Weren’t all first times? But Hunk managed to remove Lance’s pajamas and ease him onto his back. Not to be outdone, Lance hastily pulled Hunk’s shirt over his head, tossing it to the side to join his own clothing.

“I’m glad we confessed,” Lance whispered as Hunk carefully warmed the lubricant between his fingers. “I just wish we’d done it sooner.”

Hunk smiled, leaning over him and brushing the tip of his finger against Lance’s entrance. “Let’s not waste any more time, okay?”

“Deal,” Lance promised before shifting his hips to press more firmly against Hunk’s finger. “Now…please?”

None of Hunk’s imagined scenarios could live up to the real thing. He watched Lance’s face carefully, searching for any sign of discomfort as he slid his finger in and out, pressing here and there, not really sure of the exact spot, but knowing it would feel good.

“Hunk…” Lance whimpered, one of his hands coming to grip Hunk’s shoulder. “M-More…”

Lance was gorgeous like this. Of course, Hunk thought Lance was gorgeous all the time. Still, completely naked beneath him, his breaths coming out in short pants while his ass greedily swallowed two of Hunk’s fingers, well… He was absolutely perfect.

And it was then that he noticed the piercing Lance had joked about hours earlier at the airport, a little gem glinting up at him in the dim light of his bedroom.

Yup, perfect.

So, Hunk said as much.

“I…am not…” Lance argued before tilting his head back and releasing a moan. “Shit, right there…” He arched his back, his legs coming to wrap around Hunk’s waist. “W-Why did we wait so long?”

Hunk had plenty of reasons, mostly fear of rejection, but he kept them to himself. Instead, he leaned down, mouthing along the sensitive skin of Lance’s neck until he reached his ear. “Does it feel good?” he asked, surprised at how rough his voice sounded.

“So good…” Lance praised him. “I could fuck myself on your fingers every day,” he moaned. And, wow, okay, yeah. “I know we don’t have any – ah! – condoms here, but, mmm…when we get back home-” Lance cut himself off with a shout and then quickly covered his mouth with the hand that wasn’t holding Hunk’s shoulder in a death grip.

“Lance,” Hunk breathed against his ear. “Can you get off like this?” He hadn’t really thought about how this would end before this moment. He’d been so focused on making Lance feel good.

Lance nodded, moving his hand in favor of reaching between them. He pawed at Hunk’s pajama pants, but growled when he couldn’t get them out of his way. “Huuuuunk…” he whined.

Hunk bit back a chuckle as he withdrew his fingers from Lance’s tight heat. Lance groaned at the loss, but Hunk hushed him. “Just a second,” he swore, shucking off his own pants.

“Fuck… _enorme_ …” Lance gawked as he sat up, not making any attempt to hide where he was looking. “Whoa, Hunk you’re-”

“Don’t,” Hunk interrupted, heat crawling up his neck. He covered his face with his clean hand. “It’s embarrassing…”

“Hey.” Slim fingers wrapped around Hunk’s wrist, pulling his hand away. “There’s no need to be embarrassed,” Lance said. “Just, wow, you’re so…” Lance’s tongue came out to swipe across his lower lip as he struggled to find the word. However, instead of settling on one, he just looked up at Hunk and smiled – somehow sweetly, despite their situation. “It matches the rest of you.”

Hunk opened his mouth to say something, but Lance cut him off with a kiss.

“C’mon, _Big_ Guy,” he flattered. “Let’s get back to the good stuff.”

And so, Hunk let Lance manhandle him, not putting up the slightest bit of a fight as the other pushed him onto his back on the mattress. Lance straddled his hips, his hand coming to wrap around Hunk’s cock. “L-Lance,” he gasped, not realizing how much he’d neglected himself until now.

“Shh, you’re okay,” Lance soothed. “Think I can have those thick fingers of yours again?”

Hunk nodded, tracing slick digits up the length of Lance’s thigh and around the curve of his ass until they found their target.

Things didn’t last long after that. Not with Lance moaning above him, riding his fingers and stroking them together. Actually, Hunk was surprised he’d gone as long as he had. But that was a thought for after he’d reached his peak. After Lance had shouted his name into Hunk’s chest as he collapsed forward, adding to the mess between them.

They fought to catch their breaths, but Lance was the first to recover. He unceremoniously flopped onto his back, turning just enough to rest his head on Hunk’s shoulder. “Okay, we are _so_ doing that again,” he panted. “Just…like…later.”

Hunk could only nod in agreement.

Then, like flipping a switch, Lance turned onto his side, his hand coming to trace nonsensical patterns on Hunk’s chest – narrowly avoiding the rapidly cooling – and drying – puddle on his belly. “So, you love me, huh?”

“Yeah,” Hunk replied, reaching over for the tissue box on his nightstand.

“Like, _love me_ love me?”

Hunk wondered in what other way he could love Lance, given his confession and what they’d just done, but he wanted Lance to hear it. He knew how the other’s imagination could run wild and get the best of him – or the worst of him, as the case may be.

“I love you love you,” Hunk confirmed.

“Like…a boyfriend?” Lance asked.

Hunk’s lips curled up at the corners. “Like a boyfriend.” Then he craned his neck to look Lance in the eye. “And you love me?”

“Love you love you like a boyfriend,” Lance said and then snorted. “Wow, that does sound kind of stupid, huh?”

“Sappy, not stupid,” Hunk corrected him.

“I can live with that,” Lance replied, moving just a bit to allow Hunk room to clean them up. They’d definitely need to take showers, but they could get by with this for now. “So, Honi…” Lance mused. “Would it be weird if I called you that? You know…” He ducked his head. “In bed?”

Hunk had never really given it any thought. It was a name his family used, yes, but it took on another meaning when Lance used it. “I wouldn’t mind,” Hunk answered. “We could try it.”

“Okay,” Lance said with a soft smile. “My Honi…”

Little butterflies began flapping their wings in Hunk’s belly at the sound of it.

“Hey, I meant to ask,” Lance went on, burrowing closer to Hunk’s warmth. “Your whole family has nicknames, right?”

“Well, my uncle does and me and my brothers,” Hunk replied. “Mack is short for Makoa and Kai short for Ikaika.”

“Those are cool names…” Lance hummed, his eyelids drooping. “I want a cool name…”

Hunk was about to say that Lance’s name suited him perfectly, but it was too late. The other had already drifted off. After all, it _had_ been a long day and their internal clocks were five hours ahead. And so, figuring they’d shower in the morning, Hunk pulled the sheets over them and happily fell asleep.

The next morning, Lance woke Hunk with a kiss. He was already showered with teeth brushed. In fact, he’d only paused getting dressed to wake Hunk. Or so he said.

“We’re supposed to take the kids surfing today,” Lance explained as he searched through his luggage for a pair of swimming trunks. “I wish I’d brought my rash guard…”

It was weird. Yesterday, he and Lance had just been best friends and roommates. And after only one night, it felt like they were so much more. Like this had been a long time coming. And, honestly, it really had.

“Hunk, are you listening?” Lance asked, cocking his head to the side. “Alani and Kelani are probably waiting for us.” He put his hands on his hips. “Go shower, you’ve still got me all over you,” he teased, though the blush high on his cheeks showed that he, too, was a little flustered by that. “Anyway-” He cleared his throat. “C’mon, I heard your mom say breakfast was ready.”

“Okay, okay,” Hunk said, letting Lance shove him out of bed. “I’m going, I’m going.”

Hunk rushed in the bathroom, but made sure he was presentable. His family loved to tease him, but he certainly didn’t need to give them any more ammunition.

After he was clean and dressed, Hunk made his way downstairs. Everyone was already at the table, seated similarly to dinner the night before. But this time, Lance was between his niece and nephew, talking to them animatedly and making them laugh.

“There he is!” his mama called, turning everyone’s attention on Hunk. “You’ve kept us waiting, _manena_ ,” she scolded with a smile. “Come sit down and eat.”

“Hunkle!” the kids cheered, immediately scooting back toward their mother. “You can sit by Unclance.”

“Unclance?” Hunk quirked a brow.

“The kids came up with a nickname for your boyfriend,” Kai answered.

And just as Hunk was about to object, to tell his family that Lance was not, in fact, his boyfriend – as he had so many times when his best friend had been brought up in the past – he stopped himself, a wide smile splitting his face. He sat down, wrapping an arm around Lance’s shoulders, and pressed a kiss to his boyfriend’s cheek.

“I think it’s a great nickname.”

**Author's Note:**

> Aww, sweet boys.  
> I actually was going to make this fic a LOT longer (you know how I do) but I knew I didn't have enough time, so this is a quick burn (with established slow burn) 
> 
> I do hope you enjoyed it, Jazzy!! ♥
> 
> As always, let me know what you think with a comment/kudos and feel free to hit me up on tumblr @bleucheesy or Twitter @bySharkGirl~
> 
> Oh, also, here's the list of Hunk's family members. I made them up because they have no canon names!  
> Birth Mom: Elizabeth  
> Dad: George  
> Mom: Luana  
> Eldest Bro: Ikaika "Kai"  
> Middle Bro: Makoa "Mack"  
> Hunk: Honi "Hunk"  
> SIL: Mahealani (Kai’s wife)  
> Nephew: Kelani  
> Neice: Alani  
> Uncle: Kapena "Cap” (Luana's older brother)


End file.
